Sykes returns to help Mystics beat Dream for 1st win of season

COLLEGE PARK, Ga. (AP) — Brittney Sykes scored 18 points in her first game since May 17, Ariel Atkins also had 18 points and the Washington Mystics won their first game of the season, beating the Atlanta Dream 87-68 on Tuesday night.

Washington (1-12) avoided tying the longest losing streak in franchise history with the 2012 team dropping 13 games in a row.

Sykes, who had missed the past 10 games due to an ankle injury, went 4 of 6 from 3-point range in just 14 minutes and Atkins made all three of her attempts from distance. The Mystics made a season-high 17 3-pointers, with a make from eight different players.

Washington had seven 3-pointers in the first quarter, on just 11 attempts, to take a 25-15 lead. But the Mystics were just 1 of 6 from distance in the second quarter as Atlanta got within 38-33 at the break after closing on an 8-1 run.

Sykes, Karlie Samuelson and Stefanie Dolson each made a 3-pointer in the opening three minutes of the third quarter to make it 49-38, and Washington led by at least nine the rest of the way.

Julie Vanloo added 11 points off the bench for Washington.

Rhyne Howard scored 16 points, Aerial Powers added 13 and Tina Charles had 12 points and nine rebounds for Atlanta (5-5). Allisha Gray, averaging a team-high 16 points per game, was held to nine points on 3-of-10 shooting.

Howard, at 24 years, 43 days, became the youngest player in WNBA history to reach 200 career 3-pointers.

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AP WNBA: https://apnews.com/hub/wnba-basketball